chocolate chip coconut cookies

source: veganza.com
gluten-free, sugar-free, soy-free.

ingredients:
2 C. gluten-free plain flour mix
1/2 C muesli
1/2 C. chunky almond meal (or very finely chopped almonds)
1 C. dark choc chips
1/4 C. shredded coconut
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 C. oil (peanut, sunflower, vegetable, etc.)
1/2 C. (dark) agave nectar
1/4 C. water
3 t. vanilla extract

directions:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof/parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, stirring together with a wire whisk.
Make a well in the dry ingredients, add all wet ingredients, and stir together.
Take roughly 1 tablespoon blobs of mix, roll into a ball and flatten into cookie shape on the paper. Smooth edges on the cookies to prevent crumbling
Bake on the centre shelf of your oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge (or they freeze ok, too).

slow-cooked turkey chili

source: cook's country
serves 8 to 10

you can use any ground turkey except 99 percent lean (also labeled “fat-free”) in this recipe. serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and lime wedges. cook's country recommends hunt's diced tomatoes.

1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread , torn into pieces
1/4 cup soy sauce

6 garlic cloves , minced 

salt and pepper
2 pounds ground turkey
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 onions , chopped fine 

1 bell pepper , seeded and chopped 

1/4 cup tomato paste
2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans , drained and rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo

1. Heat chili powder, cumin, and oregano in large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside.


2. Using potato masher, mash bread, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted spices, half of garlic, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl until smooth. Add ground turkey and gently knead until well combined.


3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook turkey mixture, breaking up meat into 1-inch pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow-cooker insert. Add onion, bell pepper, and remaining oil to now-empty skillet and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in remaining toasted spices, tomato paste, and remaining garlic and cook until paste begins to darken, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.


4. Stir beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, brown sugar, and chipotle into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until turkey is tender, 4 to 6 hours. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Chili can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days.)

Notes from the test kitchen:

Substituting turkey for beef in chili recipes may make for a healthier meal, but this payoff does not make up for the loss of flavor and texture. We wanted the same hearty, well-seasoned bites of meat that we expect from ground beef chili, along with plenty of beans and a thick, gently spicy sauce. Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries
Without ground beef, the chili needed depth of flavor. Adding chicken broth and soy sauce provided “meatiness,” while canned chipotle chiles added a complex smoky taste.
As an extra flavor boost, we toasted the spices in a dry skillet.
Because the chicken broth thinned the chili, we thickened the stew back up by draining the diced tomatoes and stirring in tomato paste.

Mixing a panade (a paste of bread and milk) into the turkey kept it from drying out. But we swapped the milk for soy sauce, resulting in tender pieces with a “beefy” kick.

honey-raisin baked goat cheese salad

Source: Cook's Country, 12/2008
For crunch, add 2 thinly sliced apples or firm pears.

Serves 6

1 1/2	cups almonds
12	ounces goat cheese , softened
1	tablespoon golden raisins
1	teaspoon honey
2	large eggs
12	cups hearty salad greens
1	recipe  Basic Vinaigrette

1. Pulse almonds in food processor until finely chopped; transfer to medium bowl. Add cheese, raisins, and honey to food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate cheese mixture in covered bowl until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. 

2. Using hands, roll 2 tablespoons chilled cheese mixture into twelve 1½-inch balls. Beat eggs in medium bowl. One at a time, dip balls in egg, then roll in nuts, pressing gently to adhere. Place balls 2 inches apart on rimmed baking sheet. Press balls into 2-inch disks with greased measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week. 

3. Adjust oven rack to upper position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Remove plastic and spray cheese lightly with cooking spray. Bake until nuts are golden brown and cheese is warmed through, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes. Toss greens with vinaigrette. Serve warm cheese rounds over dressed salad.